TravelComments.com Official Blog

14 September 2019

South African National Parks (SANParks) has introduced a new tusker to Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa'sEastern Cape. The male elephant is 35 years old, has a shoulder height of 3.18m and tusks measuring an impressive 1.39m from the lip out. His weight is estimated at about six tonnes. Tembe is the first of three bulls which will be brought in as a donation from Tembe Elephant Park in KwaZulu-Natal. The Tembe elephants are known for the size of their tusks and are genetically diverse from the Addo elephants, making them ideal for improving the genetic diversity within Addo's elephant population of about 600 animals. According to AddoPark Manager, Nick de Goede, the other two bulls are expected to be introduced into Addo Elephant National Park before the end of the year.

12 September 2019

Ulendo Airlink, a local charter airline based in Malawi, is set to introduce scheduled flights between Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) in Lilongwe and Chileka International Airport (BLZ) in Blantyre. Effective 23 September 2019, the airline will initially operate 14 return frequencies per week on board a 15-Seater Dornier 228. The schedule of the new domestic service will be slightly adjusted as soon as the runway reconstruction at Chileka International Airport (CLZ) in Blantyreis completed.Ulendo Airlink also plans to launch a four-weekly return service from Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) in Lilongweto the Southern Lakeshore (Lake Malawi) and Liwonde National Park in April 2020.Back in July 2019, the airline introduced a new triangle service between Kamuzu International Airport (LLW) in Lilongwe, Mzuzu Airport (ZZU) in Mzuzu in the Northern Region of Malawiand Likoma Airport (LIX) on Likoma Island in Lake Malawi.

11 September 2019

The first phase of the upgrade of the 44-kilometre tarred road between Windhoek and Hosea Kutako International Airport to a dual carriageway, which commenced in January 2016, is expected to be completed by November 2019. The project is divided into two phases. The first phase comprises a section from MR49 (Mandume Ndemufayo Avenue or Kupferberg Road) to the extension of Sam Nujoma Drive, while the second phase comprises the section between Sam Nujoma interchange and Hosea Kutako International Airport. According to Namibia Roads Authority (RA) CEO Conrad Lutombi, the RA is "at an advanced stage in terms of the procurement process to appoint a contractor to proceed with the second phase". We'll keep you posted!

Iziko Museums of South Africa, which operates 11 national museums, the Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome, the Social History Centre and three collection-specific libraries in Cape Town, will be celebrating South Africa's diverse heritage with the in_herit Festival 2019 – a dynamic, week-long cultural programme with free entry to selected museums. (Castle of Good Hope and Groot Constantia are free only on Heritage Day. The Iziko Planetarium and Digital Dome is half-price on Heritage Day. Museums closed on Saturdays and
Sundays, or currently under renovation, are excluded). The programme of the festical will include exciting and engaging events, activities, workshops, talks, tours and exhibitions. The 12th annual in_ herit Festival kicks off on 23 September 2019, with Heritage Day celebrations on 24 September 2019, and runs right through until 29 September 2019.

The Sterkfontein Caves Road (D1701) in the precinct of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in Krugersdorp has been closed from the intersection with R540 (Kromdraai Road) as well as at the intersection with P74/1 (R563 – Hekpoort Road) due to the development of sinkholes that urgently need attention. The rehabilitation process started on 09 September 2019 and is expected to be completed around mid-October 2019. Motorists are advised that only residents are allowed access during the period of rehabilitation. We'll keep you posted!

10 September 2019

According to the acting director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ), Mrs Margaret Mantiziba, the second phase of the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) expansion project is set to commence this year. The upgrade of the airport in Bulawayo will include a new air traffic control tower and related equipment as well as a new fire station with new fire fighting equipment. The construction of the new air traffic control tower is expected to start this year, while the entire projet is set to be completed within the next two years at at cost of US$13 million. Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport (BUQ) was established in 1959 as Bulawayo Airport. In 2013 a new passenger terminal building was commissioned (first phase of the expansion project).

The island of St Helena is looking for a "Napoleon Impersonator" to commemorate the anniversary of Napoleon Bonaparte's death. The impersonator should be a male person willing to appear at events throughout bicentenary celebrations in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and is ecpected to to act as an ambassador for St Helena. According to a Facebook post by Enterprise Saint Helena, a non-governmental organisation responsible for the economic development of St Helena, 27 September 2019 is the deadline for "Napoleon Impersonator" to apply for the position. The first public appearance of "Napoleon" will be on 15 October 2019.

St Helena is a remote volcanic tropical island in the South Atlantic Ocean, about 4,000 km east of South America and 1,950 km west of southern Africa. The island measures about 16 km by 8 km. St Helena is part of the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and is most known for being the place where Napoleon Bonaparte died in May 1821.